Means for and method of regulating breathing for singing and windinstrument practice



I, B. RIGG. MEANS FOR AND METHOD OF REGULATING BREATHING FOR SINGING AND WIND INSTRUMENT PRACTICE.

' APPLICATION FILED FEB. 9, 1920. 1,354,212. Patented Sept. 28,1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES BURLINGTON RIGG, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS.

MEANS FOR AND METHOD OF REGULATING- BREATHING FOR SINGING AND WIND- INSTRUMENT PRACTICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 28, 1920.

Application filed February 9, 1920. Serial No. 357,117.

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, James BURLINGTON Rise, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Oak Park, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Means for and Methods ofRegulating Breathing for Singing and Wind-Instrument Practice, of which the following is a specification.

The primary object of my invention is to facilitate exercise in breathing for acquiring such control of breath-exhalation as will induce habitual correct breathing in singing, wind-instrument-playing, and the like (including whistling).

Having primarily devised my improvement for training to acquire the habit of correct breathing in singing, the following description is confined to that particular use thereof, though its advantages are to be understood as extending to all desirable breath-controlling exercise, incidentally including lung-development, though in accomplishing this incidental object my invention is not to be confounded with instrumentalities designed for that specific purpose nor for measuring lung-exhaling power.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure l is a view in elevation of'my exercising apparatus, showing the preferred construction thereof for its purpose, and Fig. 2 is an enlarged broken sectional view of the same.

A breath-receptacle 3, preferably in the form of a cylindrical tube of transparent glass, and having an open upper end, rises from a standard 4, which may also. be of glass and integral with the tube, the bottom 5 of which is shown to slope downwardly, for drainage, to a nipple 6 having removably attached to it a flexible tube 7, such as rubber hose, terminating in a mouthpiece S. The upper end of the cylindricaltube 3 is open to substantially the full extent of the interior diameter of said tube, thus affording free egress to the exhaled breath passing upward between the body 9 and the wall of said tube. 3

At suitable intervals on the tube 3 are provided appropriate marks to indicate to the userthe amount "of breath to be expended in producing different tonal effects.

vThe markings shown are, at rising intervals,

P P-l, denoting pianissimo and the first gradation, P--2, denoting piano and the second gradation; M IP -3, denoting mezzo piano and the third gradation; M F-4, denoting mezzo forte and the fourth gradation; F5, denoting forte and the fifth gradation; F F6, denoting fortissimo and the sixth gradation.

In the tube 3 is reciprocablyconfined a body 9, to be raised by breath-pressure directed against it from underneath into the tube and to descend by reduction or exhaustion of such pressure as and for the-purpose hereinafter explained. The form of the body 9 found to be most desirable for its purpose is that of a hollow cylinder, which should be of very light sheet-metal, preferably aluminum, having a closed lower and an open upper end and somewhat shorter than the tube 8, which it fits snugly to be freely reciprocated piston-like therein, but not so snugly as to prevent necessary venting along its exterior, through the open upper end of the receiving tube 3, of the breath of the user introduced into the latter through the hose 7. As will be seen, when the device is in use the body 9 is surrounded by the air from the exhalation of the user causing the said member to float on the body of air, thus giving said member a buoyancy and lightness rendering it peculiarly sensitive to changes in the breath-pressure actuating the same.

To exercise with the described apparatus, the user having inhaled, exhales (as in the act of singing a tone and enunciating, say, oooooo, to properly direct the tone forwardly), through the mouthpiece 8 and hose into the tube 3, with the gradationmarks thereon facing him, or, in view, and thus directs the breath-pressure against the closed lower end of the tube 9 to raise the latter, with the endeavor, which acquires certainty of accomplishment with practice, of expending only sufficient breath from each inhalation to raise the body 9 into registration at its lower end with the prescribed or predetermined gradation-marking on the breath-receiving tube. Theexhalation should be so timed, as by a certain niunber of regular beats, such as those of a metronome, as not only to cause the body 9 to attain such registering position, but also to maintain it for a predetermined time. With practice, the user acquires the habit of so controllably economizing exhalation as to produce from each inhalation an even and smoothly sustained tone, in singing,

from the beginning of exhalation to the predetermined; point of thereby raising the body '9; in the same way the user may practice regulation of exhalation to reciprocate the body 9 between gradations on the tube 3, for attaining steady crescendo and diminuendo tonal efifectsin all instances without running short of breath, or taking breath spasmodically and thus interrupting a tone to be sustained or a word or phrase to be-sung on such sustained tone. 7

' Moreover,-practice with the apparatus induces the} desirable deep-breathing habit deep inhale and slow exhale-even in walking, with resultant physical benefit.

The purpose ofproviding the member 9 as a hollow body, besides that of lightness,

neath a body reciprocably confined therein 7 to move said body and cause it to float and to be maintained on thebody of air from the breath and at predetermined, elevations,

and simultaneously venting the air from the receptacle. 7

2., Practice-apparatus for controllably regulating breathing, comprising a breathreceptacle provided with an inlet and an outlet, said outlet being of a size substantially equal to the interior diameter of said receptacle, a tube leading to said inlet, and

a resistance-body reciprocablyconfined in said receptacle to extend and be movable bodily therein from above said inlet, the opposing walls of said receptacle and body forming between them'venting space for the exhaled breath in open communication with said inlet. 1 Z

3. Practice-apparatus for controllably regulating breathing, comprising a breathreceptacle provided with an inlet and an outlet, said outlet'being of a size substantially equal to the interior diameter of said receptacle, and with fgradationmarks at intervals, a breath-directing tube'leading to said inlet, and a resistance-body reciprocably confined in said receptacle and exposed 'to breath-pressure directed'against it from underneath through said inlet, the opposing walls of said receptacle and body forming between'them venting space for the exhaled breath inopen communication with I said inletip 4. Practiceapparatus for controllably regulating breathing, comprising a tubular breath-receptacle having, an outlet ofa size substantially equal to the interior diameter ance-body reciprocably confined in said r'eceptacle and having its under surface 'exposed to breath-pressure directed against it through said inlet, the opposing walls of said receptacle and body forming between.

them venting space for the exhaled breath in open communlcatlon with said lnleti 5. Practice-apparatus: tor V controllably of said receptacle, an inlet, a breath-directing tube leading to said inlet, and a resistregulating breathing, comprising an upright Y transparent tube having a lower inlet, a breath-directing tube leading to said. inlet, and an opaque resistancebody reciprocably confined in said upright ,tube'and having its under surface exposed to breath-pressure directed against it through said inlet, the opposing walls of said receptacle and body forming between them venting space for the exhaled breath in open communication with said inlet.

6. Practice-apparatus for controllably regulating breathing, comprising a transparent upright cylindrical tube having an open upper end substantially equal to the interior diameter and an inlet near its lower end, and provided with gradation-marksat intervals, a breath-directing tube leading to said inlet, and a resistance-body reciproca: bly confined in said transparent tubeto be raised therein by breath-pressure directed against it throughsaid inlet, theopposing walls of said receptacle and body forming between them venting space for the exhaled breath in open communication with said inlet. V q r y 'ii' 'ZPracticeapparatus for controllably regulating breathing, comprising an upright cylindrical tubehaving an open upper end substantiallyequal to the interior diameter andan inlet near its lower end, a breath- Q directing tube leading to said inlet, and a cylindrical resistance-body reciprocably fit- "tingwithin said upright tube to be raised therein by breath-pressure directed against it through said inlet, the opposing walls of 7 said receptacle and body forming between them venting space for the exhaled breath inopen communication with said inlet.

Practicefapparatusfor controllably regulating-breathing, comprising an upright cylindrical tube having an open upper end substantially equal to the interior diameter and an inlet at its lower endfa breath-di- V rectlng tube leading to said inlet, and a hollow cylindrical resistance-body having a closed lowerend and fitting within said up right tube to be raised therein'by breath pressure directed against said closed end through said inlet, the opposing walls oi H said receptacle and body forming between them venting space for the exhaled breath in open communication with said inlet.

9. Practiceapparatus for controllably regulating breathing, comprising an upright cylindrical transparent tube having a supporting standard, an open upper end and an inlet near its lower end and provided with gradation-marks at intervals, a breath-di- 10 recting tube leading to said inlet, and an opaque cylinder reciprocably fitting within said transparent tube to be raised therein by breath-pressure directed against its lower end through said inlet, the opposing walls of said receptacle and body forming between them venting space for the exhaled breath in open communication with said inlet.

JAMES BURLINGTON RIGG. 

